Fruit pitting machine with vibratory pitting means



July 30, 1935. A. R. THOMPSON 2,009,567

FRUIT FITTING MACHINE WITH VIBRATORY FITTING MEANS Filed Jan. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 30, 1935.

A. THOMPSON FRUIT FITTING MACHINE WITH VIBRATORY PIT'IING MEANS Filed Jan. 28, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Patented July 30, 1935 FRUIT FITTING WITH VIBRATORY FITTING MEANS Alliert R. Thompson, San Jose, Calif., assignor' to lfacffie Machinerycomp'any, San Francisco, Call, a corporation of California Application January 28, 1933', Serial No. 654,002

Claims'. (Cl. 146+28) This invention relates to fruit pitting machines pitting member will cut in the flesh of the fruit or devices in which there is incorporated vibrain passing around the pit thereof. tory pitting means and in which there is like- Another object of my invention is toprovide wise provided means for determining the depth a pitting device in which there is provided a 5 of cut of the pitting means utilized for removpitting member supported at one end only and 5 ing the pit from the flesh of the fruit. to which pitting knife means are adapted for. V In the pitting of fruit, particularly cling-stone imparting an oscillatory or vibratory motion to peaches, many peaches are found to have split the pitting knife as the pitting knife is rotated pits so that when the flesh-of the fruit is halved,v to pass around the pit in the severing of the. the fruit fallsinto two portions without severing pit from the flesh of the fruit. 10- the pit. Other objects and advantages of this invention In cases where the peaches run a high per it is believed will be apparent from the following centage of split pits, it has been: found advisable detailed description of a preferred embodiment to split all the peaches in halves and to remove thereof as illustrated in the accompanying draw the pit'through' the useof a split pit pitter. Such ings. 1 15'"- split pit pitter-s have also been advantageously In the drawings: used in other cases. Figure l is atop plan view'of the fruit pitting In the severing of pits from fruit it has been machine or device embodying my invention. known heretofore as, for example, is disclosed in Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof. a th Dunkl'ey Patent No, 1,370,097, that if an. os- Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation taken subcillatory or vibratory motion is imparted to the stantial'ly' on the line of Figure l. pitting knife that the severing of the pit from Figure 4 is a fragmental sectional view illus-- the flesh of the fruit willbe more effectively actrating the means for mounting the oscillatory complished. pitting" knife embodying my invention. 1 In my co-pending application, Serial No. In the pr'eferred embodiment of my invention 2 103,760, I have disclosed a form of split pit pitas illustrated in the accompanying drawings t ter in which the operation of removing the pit indicates a table or pla having a pi in p n isperformed. by the holding of the pit in posi- 2 therein. The table I is preferably mounted in tion with relation to an orificed plate carrying a horizontal position so that the previously halved pitting knife so' that the pitting knife passes fruit such as peaches, may be held on the under downwardly into th'efiesh of the fruit around? the side of the table I permitting the operator to pit. and in which structure the aligning of the View the position of the pit of the peach or other pit of the fruit with the pitting knife is accomfruit" throughout the opening 2 and its position phshed' by the fact that the operator of the n1a relative to the curved pitting knife 3.

chine may observe through the orifice of the" The curved pitting knife 3' is preferably sup- 35x contacting plate the position ofthe pit of the ported at one end and has its shank- 4' supported fruit'withrelation to the pitting knife. in a sleeve 5 carrying an arm 6 pivotally mounted This invention is addressed to an improved on a supporting pivot T mounte'din a bracket 8 form of split pit pitter in whioh means are: proextended upwardly from the table or base I.

40' vided for imparting an oscillatory or vibi 'ttt'ory In order to yieldably support the arms B and 40 motionto the pitting blade so as to enable the hence" the pitting knife 3 so that if the knife 3 pitting blade to more freely and uniformly snags on the pit of the fruit soithat pressure is around the pit; in severing the pit from the flesh brought to bear upon the driving pinion 9 proof the fruit. vided for rotating the knife 3', the arm E will:

- Another object of my invention is to provide in yield downwardly causing the curving knife 3- 45' a fruit pitter means whereby thepitting knife to lower with relation to the plate I permitting may, as it is oscillated, yield when it contacts the the knife to pass around the pit of the fruit and pit of the fruit so as to determine the cut made to produce a deeper cut in the fruit. through the flesh of the fruit to enable the knife In order to thus yieldably and adjustably supto pass freely around the pit of the fruit withport the pitting knife 3 with relation to the open- 50 out hanging up to break the pitting knife. ing 2 of the table I the forward end of the arm Another object of my invention is to provide 6 is mounted upon a spring l0 mounted on a pin a fruit pitting device for removing pits from H which passes through the free end of the arm halves of peaches or the like in which means are 6 and is held in position by means of a nut I2 provided for determining the depths to which the threaded to the end of the rod II.

In order to adjust the position of the arm 6 and hence the depth of the cut made by the knife 3 from the normal conditions, the opposite end of the rod II is pivotally secured by means of a pivot pin I3 to an adjustment arm I4. The adjustment arm I4 is at one end pivotally secured to a standard I5 which extends upwardly from the base I. The opposite end of the adjustment arm I4 is secured in position by means of a cap screw I6 which is passed through a slot I! and is threaded to a standard I5 mounted on the base I. Thus by adjusting the position ofthe slot I! with relation to the cap screw I6, the position of the normal operation of the knife 3 may be determined to determine the depth 'of cut made normally by the knife 3. r

In order to give to the pitting knife 3 the oscilla tory motion so as to aid the pitting knife 3 in making a clean cut around the pit of the fruit and to aid the knife in avoiding obstructions of the pit such as the fins thereof, I prefer to employ the following vibratory means and means for mounting the shank of the knife.

Formed on the shank of the knife is a ball I8 which fits within the end of the sleeve 5 and is held in position by means of a cap I9 permitting rotation of the knife 3 around the ball as a center with relation to the sleeve 5. A driving pin 20 is passed through the ball 9 and held within an enlarged slot formed in the end of the sleeve so that when the sleeve is driven or rotated the shoulders of the slot-engage the pin 20 to rotate the knife.

Secured to the sleeve 5 is a driving pinion 9 which meshes with a stationary rack 2I so that when the rack 2I is rotated by any suitable or desirable means, the knife'3 is rotated to pass around the pit of the fruit. The outer end of the shank 4 of the knife is mounted in an eccentric bearing 22 which eccentric bearing member is secured to the outer end of the shaft by means of a set screw 23. The eccentric bearing is journaled within a bearing housing 24 so that by rotation ofthe eccentric bearing member 22, the degree of misalignment of the knife 3, in the bearing sleeve 5 may be regulated to produce a larger or smaller cut in the fruit without changing the size of the knife 3.

Mounted upon the shank 4 of the knife 3 is an overbalanced pulley 25, which overbalanced pulley 25 is driven by means of a belt from a pulley 26 of an electric motor 21 which rotates the pulley at relatively high speed so that the rotation of the overbalanced pulley produces an oscillation or vibration of the knife 3 as it is rotated. Pulley 25 is journaled upon a bearing 28 which is secured tothe shank 4.

The rack 2I which meshes with the pinion 9 to rotate the shank 4 of the knife 3 is pivotally mounted upon the pivot "I and'there is secured to the rack an arm which extends under the table I and is connected. with a foot pedal not shown. Thus when the foot pedal is depressed, the-rack 2I is pulled downwardly. to cause the. pinion 9 and hence the shank 4 of the knife 3 to revolve around the pit. Any suitable or desirable form of spring means may be applied to the rack 2I for returning the knife to its normal position which is normally within the opening 2 of the table I.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a fruit pitting device, the combination of a knife having a shank, means for rotatably supporting the shank, means for rotating the shank of the knife to rotate the knife, overbalance weighted means mounted on the shaft to rotate relative thereto, and means for rotating said overbalanced weighted means at a relatively high rate of revolution to impart a vibratory motion to the knife.

2. In a fruit pitting device, the combination of a knife having a shank, means for rotatably supporting the'sh'ank'of the knife between its ends, adjustable means spaced from the supporting means for adjusting the position of the shank of the knife to determine the position of the knife, means operatively connected with the shank of the knife for rotating the shank of the knife to rotate the knife in its adjusted positions, and means mounted upon the shank of the knife and rotatable relative thereto for imparting a vibratory motion to the knife as the knife is rotated.

3. In a fruit pitting device, the combination'of a knife having a shank, means for rotatably supportingthe shank between its ends so as to permit an adjustment of the position of the knife around said supporting means, and an eccentric operatively connected with the shank for supporting the shank in a position spaced from the first supporting means and adjustable to move the shank with reference to the first supporting means to adjust the position of the knife.

i. In a fruit pitting device,. the combination of a knife' having a shank, a sleeve, means operatively connecting thev shank and sleeve permitting of a transverse adjustment of the knife shank Wit-hinthe sleeve to adjust the position of the knife, and means operatively connected to the shank for adjusting the position of the'shank within the sleeve upon the connecting means between the shank and the sleeve.

5. In a fruit pitting device, the combination of a knife having a shank apitting plate, pitting means providing an opening through which the knife is adapted to operate to remove the pit from a fruit, means mounted upon the shank and rotatable relative thereto for imparting a vibratory motion to the knife, means mounted on the shank and operable for rotating the knife tov cause the.

same to pass into the said opening to cut the pit from a fruit, and means for supporting the .pitting knife including a relatively fixed supporting means and an adjustable supporting means adjustable to adjust the position of the shank of the knife to vary the position of the knife with reference to the said opening.

' ALBERT R. THOMPSON. 

